Vadim Cepheus Q80

Just over a week ago, we had the chance to sit down with the owner of Vadim Computers, a London-based system builder that specialises in building what the owner describes as simply the best pre-built PCs available to buy. In order to put this rather lofty claim to the test, the company left us with one of its built-to-order machines based around its Cepheus Q80 design. This machine isn’t built for review like what most OEMs do these days, it’s actually a machine built for one of Vadim’s customers.

Background by Tim Smalley

Vadim Computers has been around since 2003, and started while owner Vadim Chobanu was still at university and was building PCs in his bedroom. Now it's run by a group of computing enthusiasts who build custom, extreme rigs for those with deep pockets. The guys at Vadim are renowned for their attention to detail and follow an ethos echoed by our own community: PCs shouldn’t just work fast; they should look the part as well.

Vadim sells components as well as fully kitted laptops, workstations and gaming PCs. While we’ve never featured one of Vadim’s machines on bit-tech before, the company is recognised across the internet for having excellent after sales service and warranty, in addition to the exceedingly high quality products it builds.

When Mr. Chobanu, the company's founder and Managing Director, visited our offices to talk to us about his company’s values and products, his attention to detail and passion for what he has created helped us to paint a picture of who he is and how he runs his company.

Mr. Chobanu explained to us that his company’s personal touch is applied right after a customer places their order – each customer has their own personal contact who is available for the customer to relay any questions or concerns to. This contact inside Vadim is also responsible for building the PC. As you would expect, Vadim Computers isn’t producing PCs in the same volume as the likes of Dell and Alienware, but it intends to go to great lengths to ensure every one of its customers is 100% satisfied with their purchase.

Because the company goes that extra mile to ensure all of its customers are satisfied, it offers customisation services that enable you to add that personal touch to your machine – something that you don’t get with your average Dell XPS or Alienware machine. bit-tech’s readers are renowned for their modding prowess, and while Vadim Computers isn’t targeting those that like to mod their own PC, the company is targeting end users that don’t have the time, tools and skill to create their very own Orac³.

Typically it takes one to three weeks (five to fifteen working days) to build each machine, depending on configuration and customisation requests. Once the machine has been delivered to you, you’ll still have a personal contact inside the company. That contact will be available to provide you with online support via a private forum and also personal phone contact at the company for questions and queries should you need it. The company even offers to upgrade your PC for you if you feel that it’s getting a little out-dated, too.

So, with one of Vadim’s PCs in-house, we have spent the last week picking it apart and analysing it in with an all-important critical modder’s eye. Vadim makes PCs everyone would love to own, but we wanted to know if the high asking prices were justified or if it was yet another company asking consumers to pay through the nose for an "Extreme PC"? Is there more to it, with unobvious value from the way the company is run through to the end product?